"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" ~ Seneca

Saturday, May 28, 2011

I'm a member, are you?

I applied to become a member of the National Weight Control Registry to help keep myself accountable. I learned about the registry through the site Refuse to Regain. Filling out the various questionnaires is a good chance to self asses and see how far I've come.
I started my weight loss journey in 2009. Not that this was the first time I was on a diet. Hell I went to my first weight watchers meeting when I was 9! But this time was different. I was choosing a lifestyle change. Not just changing they way I ate and what I ate (thank you food journaling), but also changing my activity level (not difficult when it's nearly nil). I started wearing my pedometer ever day and still do. After a month into this lifestyle change, I started the Couch 2 5k running program. I took a few weeks longer than the usual 9, but completed the program and ran in the local Mother's Day 5K! I was 186 pounds and finished the 5k in 36 minutes which was under my goal of 40 minutes. I continued running through the summer months and the weight melted off. In the fall/winter I stopped running (weather weanie) but continued to walk and go to the occasional step aerobics class. By January 2010 I was at 167 pounds, a 43 pound loss in one year, I'll take it. 2010 showed me a 16 pound loss, bringing me to 151. And now here at the end of May 2011, I'm currently hovering between 148-151. Hence the previous post on being stuck

It's been quite the journey (still ongoing). While I wish I could say it was this one thing that did the trick and has made this weight loss successful, but I know that isn't true. It has been a little weight watchers skills, a little Jillian Michaels, a little mizfit, and many members of the 3 Fat Chicks community and a lot of perseverance, that have helped to make me who I am today. And for that I am extremely grateful.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Stuck

Does your body choose your ideal weight or do you? I used to think that I could choose what weight I should be at, hence my goal weight of 130 pounds. But when is a plateau just a plateau and when is it your body saying, 'Thanks, I'm good here?'. I'm not sure how to tell these two scenarios apart. I would like to say my multiple weeks spent at 148 pounds is a plateau, but I just feel stuck.
I KNOW I have the power to break out. It involves switching up my diet and my exercise. Well- good thing I went to the Y tonight for my CBC Live Strong Now group.
We did resistance exercises and I got my ass kicked! Whew- who knew an exercise ball could be so cruel. I just hope I can walk tomorrow.
What do you do to change things up?

Monday, May 23, 2011

I'm back!

Amazing! Time certainly flies when you're having fun.
Since my last post, we spent 2.5 weeks house sitting on the Big Island of Hawaii! We snorkeled, boogie boarded, and enjoyed all aspects of island life- we've been bit by the bug. Now my days are spent trying to figure out how to move to the tropical paradise and make a living there.
But back to reality. When we returned from said trip, it was snowing here. Not that we didn't expect it. Spring has been slow in coming to the northern cities, but it is here as we now have tulips and daffodils blooming. Plus it's raining today rather than snowing, hooray!
Today I am renewing my commitment to my health- which means- start moving!
I have been flaking out on my live right now club, but so glad I went last week as we did step aerobics which I LOVE. This week we're doing resistance training, which I'm trying to like.
I haven't done my Yourself Fitness since we got our xbox repaired- time to dust off that baby.
I'm still doing the stairs at work 2x per day and I throw in some lunges while walking the dog. How do you squeeze your daily exercise in?